After more than ten minutes, Mother Lu finished reading the agreement. Her expression was a little complicated. 

Teacher Zhang asked, “Lu Nan’s mother, what do you think?” 

What did she think? Mother Lu felt that this was a relatively relaxed agreement for both parties, relying more on mutual moral constraints. 

Although the first order attached seemed unfair to Party B, since Party A would pay a 30% deposit with the order, 40% after the goods arrived at the port, and the remaining 30% would be paid one month after arrival, the entire order could take two to three months to complete. 

During this period, Party B would bear considerable financial pressure—though, it was just this one order. 

Subsequent cooperation would follow the regular export trade process: the goods would be delivered, Party A would inspect them, and Party B could collect the remaining payment. 

For Party A, they would only need to provide the product images, specifications, and expected prices. Aside from issuing the purchase order and paying the deposit, Party A wouldn’t need to spend any effort before the goods arrived at the port, saving a lot of time and effort. 

As for Party B’s commission, there would be none for the first order, but for future orders, they would charge a relatively reasonable industry rate: 5%. 

However, Mother Lu knew that as Party B, responsible for Party A’s domestic procurement, they could earn not only the commission but also make a profit from exchange rates, as well as the most important part: export tax refunds, along with the common rebates provided by domestic manufacturers and suppliers to the procurer (Party B). Roughly calculated, the gross profit for each export order, depending on the refund rate, would range from 17% to 22%, possibly even higher. Even after deducting sea shipping, the lowest refund would still guarantee at least a 10% profit. 

Mother Lu had been in this industry before, though her ex-husband handled most of the business side, and she dealt more with miscellaneous matters. Nevertheless, she was always aware of certain aspects. 

For example, after a quick glance, she calculated that the attached order, worth about 200,000 RMB, would bring Party B more than 30,000 RMB in gross profit, considering refunds, though sea shipping still needed to be deducted—so at most, Party B would earn about 10,000 RMB from this order. The profit from this order was clear. 

For a moment, Mother Lu even felt a bit regretful. 

A pity because this partnership seemed very promising, but she didn’t feel capable of taking it on. 

Because she truly doubted her own abilities. 

After staying at home for so many years, she often felt disconnected from society. 

Moreover, she had many concerns, the biggest of which was: the situation she imagined was the best-case scenario, but in reality, business always involved risks—how could there be a guarantee of profit? 

She felt she couldn’t afford to lose, nor did she have the money to gamble on whether it would be a gain or loss. 

Even though her daughter had offered many times to provide capital, Mother Lu still refused flatly every time. 

Moreover, she had a small thought in her mind: even if she did take the order, there wouldn’t be enough time to complete the procedures for registering a company in such a short period. 

At that moment, Xu Chengzhi’s video call came in. 

Lu Nan had introduced her mother to Brother Xu. It had to be said that when Mother Lu wasn’t in an extreme emotional state, she gave a reliable impression: dignified in appearance, fluent and organized in speech, with clear and upright eyes. 

Because of Lu Nan’s professional and strong abilities, Xu Chengzhi and Wu Li had a good first impression of Mother Lu. Xu Chengzhi asked Mother Lu, “Do you have any thoughts on the agreement? We can still refine it.” 

Mother Lu subconsciously shook her head, “This agreement is relatively relaxed for both sides. I think, with such a draft, many people would want to cooperate with Mr. Xu. But why choose… me?” 

Xu Chengzhi smiled, “Let’s not keep using ‘you’ and ‘me,’ just call me Xiao Xu. I’m a few years younger than you, so I’ll call you ‘sister.’ Sister Huang, you misunderstood. The agreement wasn’t drafted by me; it was drafted by Lu Nan.” 

“And I chose you because, on one hand, I need a steady and responsible partner. On the other hand, Lu Nan has been recommending you, saying you have experience in this area. She spent several nights staying up, dealing with the time difference, video calling me, and discussing cooperation methods and details. She gave me a lot of valuable advice, telling me openly that textiles should be sourced from Su City, small goods from Wu City, and synthetic nylon products from Lu City… Sister Huang, let me put it this way, I chose you because I trust Lu Nan. If you’ve raised such an excellent daughter, I believe you are someone with vision and capability.” 

This was a compliment from a stranger. 

Having not heard a positive and encouraging remark for years, Mother Lu felt like a buzzing in her ears as she listened to the voice on the tablet. The following words became unclear to her. 

She wasn’t sure when the video call ended. Lu Nan, holding her mother’s hand and the agreement, said goodbye to Teacher Zhang. 

When they entered the elevator, Mother Lu hadn’t fully come back to her senses. It wasn’t until the elevator reached the first floor and made a ding sound that she snapped back, looking at the file folder in her daughter’s hand. 

Lu Nan noticed her mother’s complex gaze on the file folder. 

Earlier, at Teacher Zhang’s house, Lu Nan hadn’t rushed her mother to sign the agreement because she believed her mother would read the document carefully several times, perhaps even dozens of times. 

A middle-aged divorcée who had been disconnected from society needed someone to give her a push to take that step into a new life. 

But Lu Nan preferred to use the word “pull.” She thought: if, years later, after being pushed by external forces, her mother — already in her fifties — could still reenter the workforce, then now, being younger, there’s no way she’d be willing to let such a good opportunity slip by. 

Lu Nan sent her mother back to the hotel and placed the folder on the bedside table: “Mom, I’ll go back to the dorm now.” 

“Wait a minute,” Mother Lu spoke. “Earlier this evening, I asked you to repay the loan tomorrow and you agreed. That was a lie, wasn’t it?” 

Lu Nan looked directly at her mother, neither confirming nor denying, and said seriously, “Did you forget… you need to make an appointment with the customer manager for early loan repayment. You can’t just show up that day.” She never intended to repay the loan early—why bother with a loan at such low interest, only to pay it off early? 

“You… you’re too bold. If I hadn’t come to Hailin, what would you have done? Would you have stood up Xu Chengzhi?” Mother Lu tried to raise her hand and point at her daughter. 

Lu Nan stepped closer, holding her mother’s finger and wrapping both hands around it. 

Standing just half a meter away from her mother, Lu Nan was already a few centimeters taller than her: “Mom, but the thing is… you’re already here in Hailin.” 

Mother Lu said irritably, “That was because you tricked me into coming!” 

Lu Nan shook her head seriously: “I went home to bring the property and car keys to show you that I have the ability to make money, that I’m independent. But you ignored it. Later, no matter how I persuaded you on the phone, telling you about the business opportunities in Hailin, you wouldn’t believe it. So, I had no choice but to take this step. Now, you’re here, and you’ve met Teacher Zhang, Brother Xu, and seen the cooperation agreement. Will you consider my proposal now? This order is easy to handle; it’s almost like picking up money. If you hesitate, Xu Chengzhi can find another partner at any time, but you… may never have such a good opportunity again.” 

Because even if I could live through it all again, no matter how strong or capable I am, I would still feel exhausted. Everything I’m doing now is fueled by the last bits of hope and love I have left. 

Her daughter’s serious, earnest tone, with a slight tension and sadness. 

Mother Lu looked at her in silence. 

Lu Nan sniffed and continued, “I didn’t lie to you, I just think this opportunity is too rare. If you don’t try, you’ll regret it. Mom.” 

Mother Lu realized her daughter had really grown up, not just in appearance but also in her thinking and actions—she had her own ideas, and everything was logical and hard to argue with. 

Actually, Mother Lu had noticed the change in her daughter the last time she came home, but she had been stubborn, thinking it was because her daughter had become arrogant after ‘striking it rich.’ 

Today, the agreement and Xu Chengzhi’s words made Mother Lu finally realize the truth. 

It wasn’t some wild fantasy—her 23-year-old daughter really was capable. 

Mother Lu should’ve been proud. In their extended family, and even among all their acquaintances, no one else’s child had achieved so much right after graduating from university. If anyone else had, which parent wouldn’t proudly show off? 

Yet her first reaction was fear. 

Because she realized that, somewhere along the way, she no longer truly understood her daughter. 

After fear came both comfort and pain. 

She was comforted because— 

While she had been drifting aimlessly through these past years, her daughter had grown up. 

She was pained because— 

Behind her daughter’s rapid growth, there must be two failed parents. 

Lu Nan noticed her mother’s wavering and pressed on: “I heard from Auntie that she wants to introduce a job to you. But do you really want to do cleaning, housekeeping, or work as a supermarket cashier?” 

How could Mother Lu be willing? After all, twenty years ago, she was called ‘Boss Lady,’ and she had her dignity and her pride. 

But now, with only a middle school education, in her forties, and without any recent work experience, those were the only jobs available to her. 

“Mom, honestly, you can do it,” Lu Nan has been holding her mother’s hand recently, conveying warmth and strength through physical contact. 

“When I was little, I learned to play the piano, and when I didn’t want to practice, you would practice with me, and in the end, you learned quite a few songs yourself.” 

“When I was learning to dance, I had to stretch every day when I got home. I said it hurt too much and didn’t want to continue, but you did it with me, and later, I could even do the splits easily.” 

“You say you only have a middle school education, but when you started working in foreign trade, you signed up for English classes, and now simple conversations are no problem.” 

“And you also learned office software. From typing with just one finger to becoming proficient in Wubi input, and later, handling Excel and ERP systems with ease.” 

“Mom, look, when you were thirty, you were learning, and when you were forty, you were still learning. You’ve always been learning new skills. To have me and Lu Yang, such smart kids, you must be really outstanding.” 

“So, why can’t we try?” 

“Mom, I know these years have been tough for you. But can we move past it? The past has already happened, and it can’t be changed. Now, I’ve grown up, and I want to help you. You used to be the admired lady boss in the family, so why can’t you become a respected female boss in the future?” 

“Mom, accepting this change won’t make life worse than it is now.” 

“I often think…” 

“Where did that mom, who would play the piano with me and dance with me, go?” 

Lu Nan blinked, and large tears rolled down her cheeks: “Later, I realized that mom, you’ve always been here. It’s just that there’s been so much bitterness in life, and you’ve hidden yourself away.” 

Her mother stood there in a daze. 

She stared blankly at her daughter. 

In the past, her daughter had cried too—when she argued fiercely with her ex-husband, when she vented her anger on the children for no reason. At those times, what was on her mind was: Yes, children from divorced families are like this, aren’t they? Not crying—what, are they supposed to laugh? 

But later, her daughter stopped crying. Whenever she came home, she was listless, never leaving her room except to eat. When she went to university, it became worse. During winter and summer breaks, she said she would do part-time jobs outside and only came back for a few days. The mother and daughter drifted further apart, and she could only influence her, control her, or even hurt her through the weekly phone calls. 

At this moment, Mother Lu’s rationality returned just a little. 

In fact, divorce wasn’t the end of the world. The real obstacle for her was her lack of dignity. 

She knew that a failed marriage didn’t mean she had failed as a person, but the betrayal of her husband and his efforts to hide assets had been a huge blow. 

She had been stuck in this mindset for so many years. 

She kept thinking about how the relationship had reached that point. 

She kept thinking about how her ex-husband’s lies had tricked her time and time again. 

She kept thinking that after the divorce, her ex-husband, the other woman, and even relatives and friends laughed behind her back, calling her foolish. 

That’s how she got stuck in her own head. 

When watching TV shows where the man cheats, she could relate. 

When watching variety shows, especially those about couples or family relationships, she would immediately change the channel. 

Not to mention, when relatives or friends accidentally mentioned her ex-husband, she would want to lose her temper but had to hold back, because she had to save face. This was inevitable; after all, after so many years of marriage, their social circles had some overlap. 

Those two words—saving face—were terrifying. 

She had punished herself with other people’s mistakes and unknowingly transferred that pain to her children. 

Looking at her daughter, whose eyes and nose were red from crying, almost gasping for breath, Mother Lu’s eyes also reddened. 

She stiffly reached out to wipe her daughter’s tears, but her daughter hugged her first. 

It was her daughter who embraced her. 

Lu Nan whispered in her mother’s ear: “Mom, let’s just try, okay?” 

“…Okay,” Mother Lu agreed. Her voice was dry and hoarse, but she had really agreed. 

Looks like my skill of holding back tears just long enough to make an impact hasn’t gone rusty. 

With her chin resting on her mother’s shoulder, Lu Nan let out a small sigh of relief. 

Most of the time, Mom responds better to soft persuasion than hard pushing. Mission accomplished for today. But if anything special comes up later, I still have to be firm—I can’t let my guard down. 

After a while, both mother and daughter calmed down. 

Lu Nan said: “I’ll sleep here tonight. I can take the chance to talk to you about our supply sources.” 

Her mother grumbled, “It’s already ten o’clock. If I let you go back to the dorm now, would I have to take you there?” The implied meaning was: Of course, you’re staying here tonight. 

We just had a heart-to-heart, and she still can’t talk nicely? 

Lu Nan felt a bit helpless, but then thought, if her mother were speaking kindly right now, she’d suspect that her mom had been replaced by someone else.